Moonlighting
by peppe1951
Summary: Summary:  El and Neal get over their heads in solving a mystery. Warning: Disciplining of adults. Don't like? Don't read! Disclaimer: White Collar belongs to USA; I only write about it
1. Chapter 1

**Moonlighting**

By Peppe1951

**Summary**: El and Neal get over their heads in solving a mystery. **Warning**: Disciplining of adults. Don't like? Don't read! **Disclaimer**: White Collar belongs to USA; I only write about it.

**Chapter 1**

It was a cold and dreary day in February and Burke's Premiere Events wasn't having a good day. In fact with the nasty weather of late they weren't doing very well for most of the week. She had several cancellations due to the bad weather bring her spirits down even more than the weather had been doing; so I guess you can call what happened next the weather's fault.

El looked out the store window just in time to see a bakery truck pull up in front of Downtown Bakery and stop blocking the entrance. "That's strange," thought El as she continued to watch. No business who wanted to succeed would allow any truck to block their entrance and you would have thought that the delivery boy from their own bakery would know that.

As El watched she saw several large and rough looking men come out; all were carrying boxes of what El assumed to be pastries from the bakery. "They don't look to be the type of people to order pastries," El thought and became curious on what was happening.

She used to use this bakery all of the time but of late her customers had complained to the quality of the cupcakes and other pastries and she had to drop them. The cupcakes had been dry and the pastries hadn't tasted fresh and now as she watched the men exit with the pastries boxes she wondered if some was using the shop as a drop off spot for something illegal.

She was just about to pick up the phone to call her husband, Agent Peter Burke at the White Collar Division of the FBI when Neal Caffrey, her husband's consultant and partner sauntered in.

"Neal! What are you doing here? Is Peter around?" she asked excitedly. IF her husband was here then she wouldn't have to call him.

"Don't get excited…Peter isn't here. I just thought that I would come over and say hi," Neal said cheerfully…just a little too cheerful for El that she knew instinctly that he must have done something to piss her husband off.

"What did you do this time, Neal?" El asked in her best motherly voice.

"Me?" replied Neal with fake surprise, "why do you always assume that it was me?"

"Because I know you…now give. What did you do?" repeated El as she waited for him to confess.

"I might have gone out without his knowledge to check something out…on a current case…and got caught by security?" he finally blurted out.

"Oh, Neal…when will you learn that Peter is never going to be happy when you go without his knowledge or FBI backup. He cares about you and doesn't want any harm to come to you," scolded El as she got up and kissed Neal on the cheek.

"If he cares so much, why is it that he is always putting me in harm?" whined Neal as he absently rubbed his backside.

"The only part of you that he harms is your backside and if you would only listen to him then you wouldn't be here to get me to help you appease my husband and get you back in his good graces," replied El with a twinkle in her eyes.

With a charming smile Neal asked, "Is it working?"

El looked at him for a moment before replying, "Yes…it is working. So what do you want me to fix for him tonight to get him in a happy mood?"

"What about some of those wonderful pastries you had at your last event? Peter couldn't stop eating them. If I came in with a plate only for him maybe he would feel better," replied Neal.

"You would want those. I have to go across town to get those and he must have gained twenty pounds before I could get him away from the table," El responded good-naturedly.

Neal looked outside and asked, "Can't you get them from Downtown Bakery instead?"

"I would but their pastries haven't been so good lately…I don't know what is going on with them," El replied absentmindedly.

"Neal?" El stopped to ask, "Does anything look off there?"

Neal turned to look closer, "no, not really. Why do you ask?"

"I don't know…something just seems off. I was going to call Peter and get him to look into it when you came in," admitted El as she joined him at the window.

That piqued Neal's interest and he darted outside before El could say "stop."

El watched with bated breath as Neal casually walked into the shop. He seemed to be in there forever when he reappeared carrying a Downtown Bakery bag filled with what she imagined were some of their products.

"Well?" asked El as Neal came in munching on a cupcake.

"They are kind of dry," Neal replied as he pulled a Cannoli out and took a big bite which he immediately spit out. "The filling had soured," he explained to an astonished El, who took the bag and peered inside.

"You got one of almost everything sweet that they sell," she said with amazement.

"I wanted to be sure that the first one wasn't just a fluke," explained Neal as he pulled an éclair out and bit into it and immediately made a face as he swallowed

the supposedly sweet pastry.

"What's wrong with that one?"

"Not very sweet…either someone is new and doesn't know how to cook or they're up to something," concluded Neal.

"Well, their business is booming," pointed out El as she motioned to the bakery's entrance. "Since you been here, they must have had a half dozen customers and they have all left with boxes of their items."

"I bet they are smuggling something in those boxes; what would be a better hiding place than a bakery," concluded El. "I'm going to mention it to Peter at supper tonight."

Peter pushed back from the dinner table and sighed happily, "I don't know what I did to deserve such a wonderful dinner but if you will tell me I'll be happy to do it again."

El looked a bit guilty at the comment knowing that she had fixed his favorite pot roast plus the pastries that Neal had suggested for dessert just so she could approach her idea of his checking out the Downtown Bakery.

"The pastries were Neal's idea…something about the spanking you gave him earlier," she said nervously.

"Yeah, I should have really smoked his butt for his last attempt to help," Peter sighed. "I had to talk a long time to keep him from being punished more severely…like a visit back to the Supermax for a week or so. He's lucky to be sitting tonight."

"He just wanted to help, hon and unfortunately the illegal way is the only way he knows. Just forget about him for now. Your case is solved and everything is good with the world," soothed El as she started laying down her plan for asking him about her concerns.

While El did everything in her power to ease her husband's tensions first by getting him moved to the couch and turning on a basketball game and finally feeling him relax she asked, "Honey, you know that business has been kind of slow these last few days mainly because of the weather?"

"Uh, uh," murmured Peter as he cuddled against her as his eyes stayed on the game he was watching.

"Well, I noticed the bakery across the street…Downtown Bakery," she added a bit more to the conversation.

Peter nodded glancing swiftly at El and then back to the game.

"And I think there is something strange going on there; something that I think you should look into Peter," she blurted out all at once.

"What?" replied Peter as he realized that his wife had said something important but still had his mind on the game.

"Peter!"

Peter reluctantly turned to face his wife and noticing her look of frustration and asked, "Would you repeat your last statement please El?"

"I said that I think something odd is going on at the Downtown Bakery and would like you to look into it."

"And what do you base your feelings on?"

"Their pastries taste awful; not up to their standards. I've seen several men coming and going from that shop and all carrying boxes; they used to be so family orientated and those customers do not frequent like before," explained El earnestly.

"How do you know their pastries taste bad?"

I tried a few of them…they weren't fresh tasting, some had soured fillings and the cupcakes were dry. There is no way a bakery can stay in business with product like that," argued El.

"You were so curious that you left Burke's Premier Events to go and check the bakery out?"

"No…but Neal did," El admitted.

"How did Neal get into this…wait when did this happen?" asked Peter as something clicked.

"This afternoon after you spanked him," replied El.

"So that is where he went after I punished him; he said he needed to take a walk but he really came to you for a bit of comfort…and to bring me those pastries as a way of saying sorry?" Peter concluded after all of the pieces fell into place. "How long has he been doing this?"

"How long have you been spanking him?" El replied to his question with a question. "Peter he is a good boy; I know he deserves the spankings but he also deserves to be comforted afterwards…to know he's been forgiven."

"Okay, from now on I will give him a hug afterwards," Peter replied with a smile before turning his attention back to the game.

"Peter!"

"What…I promise that I will be nicer to Neal after I punish him…what more do you want?"

"The Bakery, Peter!"

"What bakery?"

The next thing Peter knew was that in the midst of a fantastic shot the TV screen suddenly went black.

"Honeyyyyyy," whined Peter before turning to see such a serious expression on his wife's face that he shut up immediately.

"I swear all you have to do is turn on a game and I can ask you for the moon and you will give it to me without thinking just as long as you can watch more of your precious game," El said angrily.

"You have my undivided attention now…what was it you wanted me to do, El?" Peter asked quietly.

"I want you to check into the Downtown Bakery; I think something strange is going on there…something illegal," repeated El seriously.

Peter had his wife go over her concerns again but wisely decided not to argue with her and only said that he would check it out tomorrow. She mercifully took that as a positive and left to clean up while Peter turned the game back on.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The first thing Peter did the next day was to call Neal into his office. "I understand that you went to see my wife yesterday after our 'discussion' on your

unrequested involvement of our last case," Peter said without preamble.

"If you mean did I go and see Elizabeth after you spanked me…then the answer is yes. Elizabeth can be very comforting after that sort of experience," replied Neal as he took a seat.

Peter glared at Neal for a second before resuming, "I know… Peter glared at Neal for a second before resuming, "I know…I could have been more forgiving after I roasted your butt, and I assure that I will be in the future but that isn't why I called you in this morning."

"I'm all ears Peter; what did you want me for?" asked Neal charmingly.

"You went to the Downtown Bakery yesterday?" and when Neal nodded Peter continued, "Did you find anything suspicious other than bad testing pastries?"

"Nope, but there were people there and I couldn't look around to my satisfaction," replied Neal as he hinted to what he would have liked to do.

"And you had better keep it that way, my friend. I had better not hear about one of your nightly visits to appease your curiosity unless you want another sampling of my displeasure to your backside," warned Peter sternly.

Neal nodded, "I understand but don't you find it strange that pastries are being sold…bad tasting pastries I may add, in large amounts?"

"Yes, I do but there is nothing illegal about that either," replied Peter, "they could have legitimate reasons for those pastries that we don't understand."

"So is that what you are going to tell Elizabeth?" asked Neal.

"Nope, I told her that I would check into it and that is exactly what I'm going to do…right after lunch. I'm going to go into the bakery and order some favorites and look carefully around and then give El my decision…now here is our latest case," Peter said as he brought out the latest case they would be working on.

After lunch Peter kept his word and checked the bakery out. He stopped by and picked up a few pastries before walking over to see his wife. "Hi, honey," greeted Peter before giving her a kiss on the cheek. "I brought dessert," he added as he offered her the bag.

"So what do you think?" El asked as she looked into the bag and found two éclairs.

"It smell delicious in there," replied Peter as he took one of the éclairs and took a big bite, "and this éclair taste as good as the place smells; Honey I think that you and Neal are over reacting, When I was in there I noticed nothing to arouse my suspicions. Now I think you should drop it. The only reason you got interested was because you were bored and imagine something was wrong. So they had a couple of days of bad pastries; maybe they had some difficulties with baking or their supplies were old…but I saw nothing illegal," concluded Peter.

"I don't know…something just does seem right about that bakery," argued El.

"What evidence do you have that I can present to Hughes to start an investigation," asked Peter, and watched the frustration on his wife's face when she had to admit that she had nothing,

"But I have my woman's intuition that something is wrong," she concluded.

"Honey, I can't go to Hughes wanting to start an investigation on the Downtown Bakery based purely on my wife's intuition that something is wrong," he said jokingly.

"Maybe but what would he say if you can to him and told him that you have a gut feeling that something is wrong. I've heard you say several times that you are investigating someone because you just know something is wrong…you know he's

dirty…and that has your suspicions and curiosity up enough to start an investigation, and obviously Hughes believes it too or he wouldn't have approved. He would tell you to bring him something he can go with…then you do your FBI magic and get him that evidence….so why is your 'gut feeling' so different from my 'women's intuition'?" argued El angrily.

Peter just stared at her before shaking his head and saying, "look no matter what I decide I don't want you caught up in it so just back up and let me think about it and weigh what I know with what I don't…I'll check into it, okay….I'll check into it…but don't you," he ordered.

El smiled at him and gave him a kiss before saying, "that's all I want dear…thank you," and watched him leave to go back to the office relieved that maybe somehow she was able to convince him that her feelings were just as real as his.

After this El pretty much forgot about it since business picked up again and she didn't even have time to worry about another business other than her own and she wouldn't had decided to poke her nose back in if it was for Neal.

A week later El had chance to look out of the window after her last customer left and saw Neal walk by the bakery and stop next to the curb where he casually stopped as to tie is shoe but actually pick something out of the gutter and glance at it before hurrying to her shop.

"Neal what are you doing here?" she asked before adding," Peter's not mad at you again?"

"No…I'm still in Peter's good graces…I just was bored at work and Peter said I could go home early since he had nothing much for me to do. I thought I would come and visit you," Neal said with his boyish charm.

"What did you find in the gutter?" El asked curiously.

Neal pulled the muddied pieces of paper from his coat and held them up to the light. "I think they're some paper money but I wanted to check them out," he added as he gently pulled out his handkerchief to wiped the mud away and found that it also wiped away ink. His eyes got wide as he exclaimed, "They are counterfeit! They must be using the bakery as delivery point," he mused.

"That would explain why all of those men were constantly going in only to exit a few minutes later carrying the boxes of supposedly potteries away and why it didn't matter if the pastries were old or not…they are using them as a front," explained El as suddenly what she had noticed earlier made sense. "We need to tell Peter!"

"This isn't enough…you didn't actually see this money come out of that bakery…what we need is a diversion so I can go in and check for myself," Neal thought out loud.

"I don't know Neal, what if you get caught…this could land you back into prison," argued El as she began to think. "I know I can go over there and talk with the owner, Susie McMillan, maybe she can shed some light on what's going on…I'll keep my phone on and you can listen in."

Neal reluctantly nodded as El called him on his phone and putting her cell phone in her pocket before going across the street and engaged the owner, Suzie James into a conversation.

"Good Morning, Suzie," greeted El as she started her friendly interrogation, and Suzie returning her greeting.

"Suzie, can I ask you something? The other day my husband Peter came by and bought some éclairs and I must tell you they were the best things I've ever eaten; but I remember not so long before they were terrible…what happened?" El asked with bated breath, hoping Suzie would not be offended. "You know that was the reason I stopped using your bakery in the first place."

"Oh, I know and I want to apologize for them. I've been…" she paused as if to think of a suitable answer before continuing, "sick and I was forced to use my nephew to keep the store open and him being the type to want to save money must have…"again she paused, "used cheap or even out of date ingredients for them to taste so bad. As soon as I learned of it I came back and set things right and now my pastries to their normal form…." she would have said more but just then a buzzer from the back sounded and alerted them that something needed to come out of the oven and Suzie left El standing there.

To wait until Suzie returned El wandered over to the display cases holding all of the bakery sweets and began to pick out the ones what looked the most appeasing. She was so focused on her task that she didn't realize that someone had approached until she heard a gruff voice say, "You need something, lady?"

El looked up into a very hostile face glaring at her but not to show her fear El said in a very authoritative voice, "Yes, I would like to purchase some of these pastries," as she pointed to the éclairs and crème puffs and purchased four of each.

Her order was dispatched with speed as young man placed everything in one of the Downtown Bakery decorative boxes, the same type that El saw being carried out earlier. El paid for her order and then casually made her way back to her shop and a worried Neal.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"Did you hear everything?" she asked as she placed the box of pastries on a nearby table.

"Yes, and I noticed that she paused twice. She was trying to remember what best to say; I also think that the buzzer she heard was a summons," remarked Neal as his eyes lit upon the box.

"I'm sorry but I didn't see anything that could have been counterfeit bills in the shop…what do we do now?" she asked and when she didn't get a reply she said a bit louder "NEAL!"

"Oh…I'm sorry Elizabeth I was just thinking of a way I can get into that shop and get some evidence…and all I need is that box and a big diversion," as he began to fill El in on his plan.

At first she was definitely against it, "what if you are caught…I would think that counterfeiters are dangerous people."

"Yeah, but the diversion I have in mind involves a very beautiful young lady and a dirty blouse…trust me when she gets there all eyes will be upon her and nobody will even notice me as I search the shop. Now when do you say the money exchanges hands?" asked Neal.

"Oh, around ten in the morning…when are you going to put your plan in action?"

"About a quarter to ten tomorrow morning and by ten thirty we should have just what Peter needs to start an investigation…trust me what could go wrong?" Neal explained with a smile.

Neal arrived at Burke's Premier Events at nine thirty the next morning. He had convinced Peter that he wasn't feeling well and he had been excused for the day and had out footed it to El's. If Peter hadn't been in the middle of a case he might have wondered why he had left so quickly and might have had Jones check in tracking anklet but the case he was investigating had him and his team checking up on known counterfeiters in the area and he hadn't.

"Neal, you are here early. How did you get away from Peter?" asked El curiously.

"I told him I was sick and he excused me for the day," admitted Neal.

"You lied to Peter! He's not going to like that," exclaimed El disapprovingly.

"Well, I could have told him what I was up to, but then he wouldn't have let me go and he might also get mad at you," retorted Neal.

"You have a point. So did you find a young lady to act as your diversion?" asked El.

"Oh, yeah and she will be great; I've used her before. She's watching for me to enter the building before she starts her act," explained Neal before El could ask the identity of the young lady.

El nodded absentmindedly as she looked at her watch…it was nearing the time for Neal's plan to start. She handed him the box, flatten now for easy concealment and at nine forty five watched as he stepped out of her shop and head across the street alerting the FBI team who had the bakery under surveillance as a counterfeit exchange but before they could spring into action Neal plan began.

They watched as Neal enter the bakery just minutes ahead of the group of men arrive to pick up their allotted cash and just as June's granddaughter, Cindy rounded the corner obviously distressed about a ruined blouse.

As soon as El recognized the young lady as June's granddaughter she said out loud, "Oh, no, not June's granddaughter. June is going to bust your butt if she finds out what you have Cindy doing," but watched with amazement as Neal's plan worked exactly as he said…that is until Suzie's nephew arrived and put a gun to her head demanding the counterfeit money back.

Peter and his team arrived minutes later having been alerted as soon as Neal was identified. "Neal, what have you done now," cried Peter as he took in the whole scene and approached the FBI surveillance team headed by Jones.

"What happened?" he asked as calmly as he could.

"We identified Neal as soon as he stepped from Elizabeth's business and watched as he walked quickly to the bakery…we were too far away to stop him," explained Jones. "It was only minutes later that all hell broke out and an unsub ran out of the bakery and took Elizabeth and Neal hostage…and put a gun to Elizabeth's head."

Peter nodded as he handed his gun to Jones and walked calmly into his wife's business identifying himself to be an agent with the FBI as he showed the man holding the gun his badge.

"What do you want?" asked Giulio as he watched the agent carefully.

"I want you to lower the gun and step away from the lady," requested Peter in a clear and strong voice.

"Fat chance…he took something of mine," Giulio said as he pointed to Neal," and I want it ba…"

As soon as the gun was pointing away from El and Neal, Peter rushed him and soon had him in cuffs. "Here," pushing the gunman towards Jones, "take him away and everybody at the bakery…we'll sort them out later," he ordered as he handed the gun to Jones before turning to his wife.

El threw herself into the arms of her husband and began to cry as the shock of what had and could have happened registered. "It's okay honey, I've got you now," cried Peter as he comforted his wife all the while as he glared at his consultant. Once the tears ceased Peter motioned to an police officer and asked,

"Would you take my wife and consultant home?" and to Neal he ordered, "and you stay there until I return."

"Peter…I…"

"We will talk later Neal…just go with the officer now!"

Neal nodded and for once did as he was told without further conversation and after a kiss goodbye El joined him. Peter waited until after the police car had left before turning to Diana who had stood quietly by.

"Boss, I think you know this young lady," she said as Cindy walked up.

"Cindy, don't tell me Neal roped you into this fiasco?" asked an agitated Peter.

"Oh, it was fun Agent Burke; just like last time," she added.

"You had better hope your grandmother doesn't hear about it; she may not like to learn that her granddaughter was mixed up in all of this or that this was the second time Neal put you in a situation that might have got you hurt," explained Peter.

"Grandmother won't mind," Cindy assured the agent.

"If you are so sure, give her a call and tell her…its best that she hears it from you then to learn about it in the news," Peter said as he pointed to the Television news crews that were interviewing the police and looking in their direction.

They watched as Cindy tried to exit the area only to be stopped by a reporter.

"That's going to be one pissed off grandmother when she hears of this," remarked Diana.

"Yep and I'm sure she is going to take it out on the hide of our charming consultant," added Peter with a smile. "Diana, can you handle this? I need to get home and take care of a couple of people who I distinctly told to leave this alone."

"Go boss and remember Neal can be very persuasive," she added as she watched her boss retrieve his firearm and walk towards his car.

"I had better be sure there is a fluffy pillow waiting for Caffrey tomorrow," she thought as she took control of the scene.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"Honey?"

"We're in the kitchen, Peter," called El.

Peter walked into the kitchen to find his wife and consultant both nursing cups of coffee. "We thought a cup of coffee would settle our nerves," Neal ventured to say at Peter's questioning gaze.

"How is that working?" peter asked as he stared into a couple of guilty expressions.

"Not so good," admitted El with a shrug.

Peter gazed at them for a minute before directing his comment to Neal. "Would you be so kind as to excuse us? El and I have much to discuss. Just meet me in the car, the doors are unlocked…and Neal you had better be there when I return," he said as he added the warning.

Neal nodded his understanding and without another word took his cup to the sink and left. Peter waited until he heard the door shut before he took the seat next to his wife. He gazed lovingly into her eyes as he gently took her hands in his and asked caringly, "are you okay?"

I'm fine Peter…now that I'm with you," replied El as she tenderly kissed him. "But when he held that gun to my head, I was so scared. I was scared that I would never see you again," she added as the tears began to roll down her cheeks.

Peter pulled her close and held her as all of her fears were cried out and when she as finished he said, "I love you and don't ever want to see you in that sort of situation again…and because of that I must ask…did you know what Neal was planning on doing?"

"Yes, Peter; we discussed it but he assured me that with the right type of diversion he could get in and out without anyone noticing…and his plan worked until the nephew arrived," she explained, "and I didn't realize he was going to use Cindy as the diversion."

Honey, why didn't you and Neal do as I asked and stay out of it and let me handle it?" he asked gently.

"Well, I did for about a week and then Neal comes in excited about some bills he found in the gutter near the bakery and when he tested them found them to be counterfeit. We decided that they must be using the bakery as an exchange location. The men would be coming in as if to buy pastries and all leave with boxes of counterfeit money and not one the wiser…and it was working until I got bored and noticed something was off," El explained.

Peter took a deep breath as he considered his options and released it when he had made his decision. "Honey, come with me please," requested Peter as he pulled his wife from her seat to stand next to him."

"Where are we going?" she asked curiously.

"To our room," he replied as he walked to the staircase secured in knowing his wife would follow.

"Surely he isn't thinking of having a romp in the sheets, she thought, but after a morning like this one anything is possible" and followed him into their bedroom where she found him sitting on the edge of the bed waiting. She quickly sat next to him and waited to see what would happen next.

"El since you and Neal were partners in this scheme I feel that you two should be punished in a like manner," Peter said as he held up her hairbrush.

El looked at him blanking until comprehension flooded her consciousness and she shrieked, "Peter, you wouldn't?" and then after looking deeply in her husband's eyes she concluded regretfully, "you would!"

"Honey, I have no choice. It wouldn't be fair to Neal to take the whole punishment when you were also involved although I don't feel that you were the instigator. You said that you were following my orders until Neal came in with the counterfeit bills?"

El nodded and added, "Neal can be so convincing when he is excited about something…as you well know," this time Peter smiled as he nodded,

"Yep and that is why he is getting the worse of the punishment and I'm sure that when June hears of how he has been using Cindy she's going to be adding to the heat in his backside."

"Poor Neal, he means so well but he always seems to go about it in the wrong way…and this time I helped," El admitted and before she could say anything more she found herself upended over her husband's lap with her pants and panties at her ankles. "Peter! Owwww….owwww….owwww…" she continued to yelp as the hairbrush came down again and again on her bottom.

Peter lost no time in beginning since he wanted to get this over with as soon as possible and rained down lick after lick until El's yelps turned into full throated cries. He quickly turned her backside from pink to a painful red within minutes but didn't quit until she was sobbing and every inch of her bottom and upper thighs were fiery red then he threw the hairbrush down and pulled El up and continued to hold her until he sobs had quieted and she was content to be held and comforted in her husband's arms.

"El, I've got to go and tend to Neal…but when I return I will change your pain into a different type of heat," as he promised her hinting to another type of encounter and with a kiss he as gone.

As El heard the front door close she painfully removed her pants and panties completely and slid between the sheets to await his return.

As soon as Peter got into the car Neal turned to him and said out of the blue, "Peter I want you to know that this was all my idea; El had nothing to do with it."

"So you are telling me that my wife was only the innocent bystander that the gunman took hostage to get you to return his counterfeit bills?"

"Yes, he must have seen me leave the bakery and realized something was up since a few minutes later he followed me into El's shop and put the gun to her head to get me to return his money," Neal explained.

Peter nodded and said, "Funny, my wife says that she was partly responsible

for the whole thing. Now I know El and she wasn't lying but you on the other hand made your living doing little less. I do appreciate you wanting to keep El out of the blame but I do know the truth and you will be punished for your part of it…like she just was for her part."

It took a minute for Neal to completely understand what Peter had just said,

"You spanked El?"

"Yes, and if you tell anyone I will spank you again for telling," threatened Peter.

"Look I didn't want to but in the end she admitted to her involvement and she had to be punished just as you will once we reach June's. If it will make you feel any better yours will be much worse since you also lied to me about being sick so you could leave the office early and set your plan into action. You know if you had stayed a bit longer you would have learned that we were staking the bakery out as cooperation with organized crime," explained Peter just before pulling up in front of June's. "Now go to your apartment; I'll be up momentarily," ordered Peter. He had seen June coming and she didn't look happy. He could only guess that Cindy had told her what happened that morning.

"June," he called as he saw her say something to Neal," and ran to stop that confrontation until later after he had blistered Neal's hide.

"Peter," she acknowledged him as she saw Neal scoot past her and into the house. "Cindy told me what happened this morning and what happened a month or so ago. I am not happy with Neal and I plan on making a firm impression on his backside for it."

"Can you hold off until I've had my turn," requested Peter, "then yours can be the icing on the cake, so-so speaking."

June smiled, "That I can do. I don't know what we are going to do with that boy, Peter. Here we are busy trying to keep him out of prison and there he is trying so hard to get back in. I dearly love that boy and I hate to punish him so often but I'll do anything to keep him on the straight and narrow even if it means I have to paddle him daily."

"I know what you mean…he means well…but he just goes about it in the wrong manner…so I guess you know what that means?"

"Yes love him and keep his backside smoking," replied June with a chuckle.

Peter nodded as he headed inside, "I'll start the fire and you can keep it smoking."

When Peter arrived he found Neal sitting dejectedly waiting on his couch.

"Cheer up Neal, soon this will all be over and you can put it behind you but of course your behind won't be happy," joked Peter as he began to pull his belt free.

"It's not funny Peter," whined Neal as he got up and approached the kitchen table bending over it dramatically.

"I think you are overly dressed for this Neal…lose the trousers and boxers," ordered Peter as he walked nearer.

With a huff Neal did as he was told and got back into position just as Peter let the first lick fly catching his consultant on his upper thighs. Neal stifled a cry as the lick left a fiery stripe. Peter just as quickly struck the target area two more times before moving on and Neal let out a yell of pain…after that Peter visited every part of Neal's backside from buttock to upper thigh always leaving three licks of fiery pain in its wake until he had Neal sobbing and dancing in place. Peter continued until there wasn't an area that wasn't red and throbbing and when he paused he asked, "Neal this could have all been avoided if you had only listened to my words and had obeyed them…will you try and do better in the future?"

Neal nodded as he was sobbing too hard to answer and Peter was satisfied and put his belt down and like he did with El Peter pulled Neal up into a hug and held him until he got his emotions back under control and backed away long enough to pull his boxers back up. He stepped out of his trousers and quickly pulled up some loose sweatpants before turning back to Peter with an expectant expression on his face.

"Yes, I forgive you," cried Peter who had successfully interpreted the expression, "but kid you are pushing the envelope with your schemes. I don't want to find myself back in this apartment doing the same thing to you anytime soon."

"Do you think I like to be the spankee, Peter?" Neal asked sarcastically.

"Are you sure about that, Neal…I seem to be busting your butt almost every other week and if it isn't me then its June…Oh, and about June. She found out about Cindy being your big diversion and she wasn't happy," Peter warned Neal.

Neal smiled "oh, June isn't going to be that upset…after all it was me asking and she didn't get hurt," he said confidently.

"Well, if you are sure," Peter said as she walked to the door just as a knock was hard and he opened it to reveal June.

"June, come on in, we were just talking about you," Peter said, "and Neal has something to discuss with you about Cindy."

Neal was smiling until he saw the expression on his landlady's face. "J-June you look angry," he said faltering on her first name.

"NEAL CAFFREY HOW DARE YOU INVOLVE MY GRANDDAUGHTER IN ONE OF YOUR SCHEMES!" she said in her best mother voice as she approached showing him the wooden spatula in her hand.

Neal started to back up and whined, "Peter…HELP!"

"Sorry Neal, I've got to go. I promised El a night to make up for the spanking I was forced to give her because of your scheme," he said as he added fuel to the fire Neal was already feeling.

"Peter was forced to punish his lovely wife because of you?" cried a horrified June as she grabbed Neal by his ear and led him over to the table. "Now you are really going to get it, young man for Cindy and El," and lit into him.

Seeing that he was leaving Neal in the capable hands of his surrogate mother Peter left and as he left he could hear Neal howling in pain and in between each lick promising June everything, "I'm sorry…I won't involve Cindy again! Yes ma'am. Peter! "

The last thing Peter thought was "I think a day working at his desk tomorrow will be just the thing to keep him grounded and out of trouble…I hope Diana or Jones remembers to bring him a pillow."

**The End**


End file.
